Craved Affection

9. Wake Up

He is so close. Dangerously close. He's only an inch away from my face. I can see how his eyes travel from my eyes to my lips. He licks his lips and I gulp.

The air around us is getting hot. I'm also getting hot. My eyes zoom in when he smacks his lips. His lips are plump, pinkish, and wet. My eyes then travel back to his eyes and I gasp at what I see. He's staring at me with intense desire mirroring my own. He moves towards me startling me. Before our faces could touch each other, we hear the door click. My hands move on their own and push him back to his chair. His secretary enters the office holding two cups of coffee. I entertain myself by looking at everything in the room except that epitome of a devil sitting before me.

I should get back to my senses. This is so not me.

"Thank you, Sam."

As soon as his secretary closes the door, I pick up the cup and drink from it. I instantly regret my decision. My pride will put me in danger. I can feel it. The coffee tastes so sweet in my mouth. There is a reason why I only drink black coffee. Because it's not sweet. And this coffee in my hand is the exact opposite of it. The urge to gag is strong but when I met Philip's eyes, I don't have much choice but to gulp the liquid down.

"So, what brings you here today."

I put the coffee back on the saucer and thank the heavens that I now have an excuse to spend another minute without it. I don't think I will ever pick the cup once again.

"I come to tell you that the project has been approved. We will be proceeding with it as we had discussed."

I school my expression. I mentally pat my back because I sound like a professional just now. Contrary to what I'm feeling right now. Nervousness and a little bit of arousal are mixing inside me I have no idea what to feel first.

"As I've heard," he speaks. "But you didn't have to come by yourself. You can send an email to my secretary or send someone to get in touch with us."

"Yes. But this is an important project for me. I want it to be perfect," I answer him raising my chin a bit. Not wanting to back down and admit that he has a point.

"I've heard about it," he said as he nod absentmindedly.

His action piques my curiosity. He sounds as if he already knows these things. It's as if he can read between the lines. Come to think of it, he instructs Brown to take Waterson and Jackie away to discuss the contract.

How did he know that?

"If you don't mind me asking, are you spying on us?"

I know it doesn't sound professional. That's the only possibility I can think of.

"What? Spy? Me spying on you?" he chuckles. "What makes you think that?"

"You know about the reason I brought my people here with me. You know that the project got approved and you know that it was a big project. How else can you explain it to me?"

I cross my arms on my chest. I lean back on the chair's backrest and look at him. I'm trying to intimidate him but I don't think it is working.

"I knew about your subordinates through him. I overhear him at the bar when he is drunk and is talking to anyone in sight."

I mentally face-palm myself. Waterson is a headache. If it weren't for the years he dedicated to the company, I would've fired him long ago. He's also a good friend of David and that makes it difficult for me to kick him out. Aside from his sexism at work, he was a good man.

"As for the other things, I know Matthew Foster personally. He was the one who introduced you to me."

He smiled at me flirtatiously. He put his cup down and look at me nonchalantly.

"You knew Mister Foster. Well, I don't know how to take that in," I said truthfully.

"Don't take it in a bad light. Matthew is just fond of you. He told me how great of a leader you are and naturally, I got curious." He eyes me.

"So far, you are surpassing those expectations I had." He then chuckles.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

I pick up my cup of coffee. When the sweet liquid touched the tip of my tongue, I couldn't help but gag. I forgot that the coffee is not my usual coffee but not to lose face, I continue to sip the coffee slowly.

"It is a compliment."

I accidentally gulp the coffee quickly and some stuck in my throat. I cough uncontrollably. And then I hear him laughing. I glare at him, not trusting myself to speak as my throat is still burning.

"Are you okay?" he asks.

Can you believe him? He asks me if I'm okay. As you can see!

"I'm great. Totally. Never been this great!" I answer him sarcastically.

He didn't faze at all. Instead, he even put his elbow on the table and relaxes his face on his palm. He's looking at me like I'm the only thing he could see. It stirs something inside of me and I avoid his gaze. I know I probably don't look that good after that incident.

He was a danger.

I keep chanting that to myself. But every time our eyes meet, I couldn't help but want him. I couldn't help but let myself fall on the cliff, only hoping that he would also fall with me. Or at least catch me. Spending too much time with him is a mistake, a huge one. I shouldn't have agreed to this private meeting. I should've said something when Jackie and Waterson were being led somewhere. I shouldn't have met this guy in that coffee shop.

I shouldn't have gotten curious. I'm now regretting everything that I have done. This will be the last. After this, he and I will never cross paths again. I straighten my back, dust my clothes, and school my expression. I looked at him in a business-like manner.

"I think this concludes our meeting, Mister Turner. The project will begin soon, you can contact my secretary if ever you need anything else."

I didn't wait for his answer and stood up. I walk to the door and he didn't say anything. When I open the door, his secretary greets me with a smile. I smile back at her and walk toward the elevator. I only release the breath I was holding when the elevator door close. I lean on the wall and hold on to the railings. My knees are giving up. I'm trying to compose myself when I realize something.

The elevators had a surveillance camera.

I clench my fist and pretend that I'm doing something on my shoes. Even though I know that it's useless. Because I look stiff and awkward at any angle but I'm not going to let Philip think of anything with my actions. Luckily, my phone rang. I took that as an excuse and answer it. It was Anna.

"What should we do?"

That is the first thing I hear as soon as I put the phone on my ear.

"Hey, what are you talking about?"

I'm still inside the elevator and the reception must not be good because the noise on the other line was broken and sometimes static.

"...Luigi... and then... a boy... we do..."

I didn't catch anything Anna is saying. Her sentences are broken. I look up at the digital number at the top of the elevator's door. Second floor. I'm almost there.

"Hello, Anna? I will call you again as soon I get off the elevator, okay"

"...Cath... scared..."

It sounds like she doesn't hear me.

"Hello? Anna?"

Static again. I decide to end the call and wait until I get off the elevator. When the elevator ping, I quickly get off and call Anna again. She didn't answer, so I try again.

"Anna! I couldn't understand you earlier. I was in the elevator. What did you say about Luigi again?" I said as soon as she pick up.

I'm now walking toward my car and the only sound you can hear are my heels as they hit the floor. I'm waiting for Anna to answer me. I insert the keys into the car door. I'm about to call out to Anna that she hadn't answered me when she cut me off.

"There was an accident."

There's a buzz. My ears filter the noise around me. It has yet to register on my mind. Anna is saying something but I didn't listen to any of it. My thoughts wander and it goes on to some unpleasant scenarios. I move as quickly as possible. Luigi's face is all I can think about.